De Valera: Retirement not linked to poll speculation

Fianna Fáil Minister of State Síle de Valera today said speculation over who would receive the Clare nomination for the next election had nothing to do with her resigning from politics.

Ms de Valera, who is currently a Minister of State for Education, said she simply wanted a change after 30-years in public life.

“There is always speculation about who is likely to get through in nominations,” the TD said.

“That certainly had absolutely no part in my decision, I have spent or will have spent come the next election 30 years in public life.”

Several candidates are expected to go before the selection convention for the two seats in the Clare constituency including Minister of State Tony Killeen, Senator Tim Dooley and Senator Brendan Daly.

The Fianna Fáil TD for Clare, who has been a TD since 1977, said she had been a front-bench spokesperson for her party, Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht & the Islands from 1997 to 2002, a Minister of State and had spent five years as a member of the European Parliament.

“So come the next election I’ll be 52-years of age. I very much believe in as all possible using my qualifications perhaps with a different perspective from there on in,” she said.

“Making this decision, it hasn’t been easy for me of course because the de Valera name has been synonymous with Clare since since 1917. So there is the emotional personal connections there.”

Ms de Valera, who is currently working on a book, said she made the decision not to let her name go forward for the next General Election some time ago.

“When I went to the Taoiseach last night he obviously has been very supportive of me right throughout my career and has given me all of those political opportunities,” she said.

“In fact, he said to me don’t forget you still have a job to do for the next year and a half until that next election as Minister for State in the Department of Education and of course working for the people of County Clare, whom I represent until that date.

“He also reminded me he expected me to help in the next General Election, which of course I’ll only be too happy to do.”

Ms de Valera said she had an ambition to get her PhD in Psychology when she leaves public life.